Peaceful Exit
We live in a culture that avoids death and Peaceful Exit is an invitation to be in candid conversation about it. Writer and host Sarah Cavanaugh believes talking about death will work to dispel our natural fear and build courage in the face of death. She’s talking to authors who have written extensively on the topic to help us normalize death as part of the human experience, no matter who you are, no matter your politics, spiritual faith or socioeconomic status. Peaceful Exit explores how to radically accept our eventual demise, how to talk about it and even plan for it. But it’s not all doom and gloom – there's joy, meaning and connection to be found in exploring the messiness of death, dying and grief.
- Update frequency
- every 14 days
- Average duration
- 34 minutes
- Episodes
- 66
- Years Active
- 2023 - 2025
The Other Side of Yet with Michelle Hord (Replay)
Michelle Hord has lived through any parent's worst nightmare: her ex-husband murdered their seven-year old daughter Gabrielle. She talks about her book, "The Other Side of Yet," and tells Sarah how s…
Poetry Unplugged with Michael Wiegers (Replay)
This week, we’re re-releasing an episode featuring Sarah's conversation with Michael Wiegers, who gives us a masterclass in poetry. He's the editor-in-chief at Copper Canyon Press, an independent non…
Curb Appeal: Finding Home After Loss with Rev. Steven Tomlinson (Replay)
This week, we’re re-releasing an earlier episode featuring Sarah's conversation with Episcopal priest, playwright, and former economist Steven Tomlinson. He tells Sarah about his personal journey thr…
Creativity and Death with Basil Twist
Basil Twist is a world-famous puppeteer. His first full-length production, Symphonie Fantastique, flipped the audience's concept of the art form by existing entirely underwater in a massive tank. As …
Second Chances with Quan Huynh
Quan Huynh's story details the resilience of the human spirit. His book, "Sparrow in the Razor Wire: Finding Freedom from Within While Serving a Life Sentence," is an open, honest look at his life wh…
Death and Getting Dumped with Suzy Hopkins and Hallie Bateman
This mother-daughter, writer-illustrator duo, has created two illustrated books together. The first stemmed from Hallie's painful realization that her mother would die someday. The second from Suzy's…
The Poetry of Being Alive with Danusha Laméris
In my conversation with poet Danusha Laméris, we talk about art, poetry, grief, and language. She reads from her latest collection of poems, "Blade by Blade," which is described as a book of hungers.…
Surviving Sudden Cardiac Arrest with Lauren Canaday
Lauren Canaday has lived quite a life. Two lives, if you ask her. In her memoir, Independence Ave: How Individualism Killed Me and Community Brought Me Back, Lauren recounts her dating life and caree…
Make Time for What Counts with Oliver Burkeman
Oliver Burkeman's latest book, "Meditations for Mortals: Four Weeks to Embrace Your Limitations and Make Time for What Counts," is a guide to embracing what he calls the imperfect life. It's the real…
Paradox and Poetry with Rosemerry Wahtola Trommer
Rosemerry Wahtola Trommer knows grief. Her dad and son died in the same year. Like her latest book, The Unfolding, if this interview were music, it would be in the key of grief. Rosemerry shares how …
Revolutionizing Death Care with Joél Simone Maldonado
Joél Simone Maldonado is a licensed funeral director and embalmer, spiritual death care educator and the founder of the Multicultural Death & Grief Care Academy. She's helping to revolutionize the de…
Music and Judaism with Rabbi Neil Blumofe
Rabbi Neil Blumofe is the senior rabbi at Congregation Agudas Achim in Austin, Texas, and has been part of that community for 26 years! Rabbi Blumofe and I talk about how music can help facilitate co…
Prayer As a Place of Peace with Pastor Daryl Horton
Daryl Horton is the senior pastor at Mt. Zion Baptist Church in Austin, Texas. He explains why community is a key tennant of his faith and why it's so critical that we preserve Black churches. We als…
Impermanence in Buddhism with Venerable Jue Ji
Like authors, faith leaders are a great source for language about life and death. Venerable Jue Ji is a Buddhist nun who grew up in Taipei, Taiwan, and now calls Austin, Texas, home. Death is a key f…
The Death of Whales with Dr. Michael J Moore
Dr. Michael J Moore is a veterinary scientist who spent his entire career studying and advocating for the North Atlantic Right Whale. This is a critically endangered species, on the brink of extincti…
Season 5 Trailer
We live in a culture that avoids talking about death and Peaceful Exit is an invitation to be in candid conversation about it. In season five, host Sarah Cavanaugh is talking with writers, artists, m…
Reflections - Behind the Scenes with Sarah
As the show begins to switch gears a bit, from talking with authors to talking with artists, theologians, musicians, poets –creatives of all kinds – we take a moment to reflect on what we’ve learned …
Reflections - Looking Back at Special Moments
As Sarah looks forward to the future of a Peaceful Exit, we take a look back at some memorable moments of the past year with some of her most impactful guests.
Link to Katy Butler’s book:
The Art of Transformation with Alixa Garcia
Sarah talks with multidisciplinary artist Alixa Garcia about Alixa's transformative experiences with art, her powerful personal stories of loss, and her impassioned work in social and climate justice…
Curb Appeal: Finding Home After Loss with Rev. Steven Tomlinson
Steven Tomlinson, Episcopal priest, playwright, and former economist, shares his personal journey through grief and healing after the sudden loss of his partner, David. Tomlinson reflects on how comm…